New York City subway system turns 108

October 27 will mark the 108th anniversary of the opening of New York City's subway, which has become the essence of a growing city, nourishing skyscrapers, developing residential neighborhoods and just shortening the time it takes to get around.

The first line connected City Hall with Harlem, running under Park Avenue South to Grand Central, across 42nd Street to Times Square and then rocketing up Broadway to 145th Street. The four-track subway reduced the time it took to make the same trip by elevated train or trolley car and New Yorkers noticed.

"Soon after the opening, the subway infrastructure branched out into Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens and through the decades, the subway system has expanded to accommodate the city's growing population," New York City Transit President Thomas Prendergast said. "No, in fact, the subway has spurred that growth by enabling commuters to cover long distances relatively quickly at reasonable cost."